


Shadows of the Undrentide - Scrap Version

by Sylvantess



Category: Neverwinter Nights, Shadows of the Undrentide
Genre: Gen, Humor, POV First Person (sort of), Scraps, gibberish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-11
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-07-22 23:10:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7457401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvantess/pseuds/Sylvantess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Deekin wrote the epic tale about his first adventure with Boss. Deekin had to fight off monsters so parchments gots messy. And lost plenty. Fans read the book, but then fans wanted Deekin's 'raw edition' (Deekin still doesn't understands how parchments are compared to meat), so Deekin publishes his scraps. Here it be!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadows of the Undrentide - Scrap Version

 

Day 1:

So here we are, in the middle of nowhere, in this blasted Anauroch desert. Dachnaya says the desert is all that's left of a legendary Netheril Empire, flying citiez and stuff. It's still a bleedin' deadly desert as far as I can see; there are man-scorpion things called Stingers that live around here and they are butt-ugly. Not very hard to kill, though. But they still managed to kidnap that damn guide of ours, Zidan. Now I'm searching for the guy - if he's alive at all.

Anyways, Deekin is helping me out as a faithful henchman. Yeah, it's that little kobold from Nether mountains, who participated in all this grand mess in his own selfless way. _(note: the Boss is just cranky today, 's all)_ He's writing this whole thing, actually. I dunno if he's writing it down properly, but who cares? I guess only punchlines count, it's not like it'll turn into a famous book about an epic adventure. _(note: again, don't mind Boss, Deekin is sure she cares about the adventure lots.)_

S'okay as long as we're on the move, alive and well. Though from the start of this whole mess with the tower crystal, I get the feeling things are gonna get a lot shittier...

 

Day 2:

We've managed to get Zidan back. I had to kill the chief Stinger, who was conveniently the follower of Talona, wretched deity of disease and ghouls and other foul stuff. Well, no one is going to miss him, that's for sure.

And we took off. But suddenly, our water rations went out. The oxen that pull our caravan drink a lot of water. Dammit Katriana, why didn't we simply use camels instead?! Nooo, she's fond of her blasted oxen. And so I had to go in search for water in the nearby oasis owned by local Bedine, natives of the desert. **I** had to go get the water, because our little gypsies screwed up the last time by nourishing their oxen directly from the pond - which is actually sacred to Bedine. So I'm kind of a peacemaker 'round here. Figures.

Oh, but will wonders never cease? The Bedine are struck by some kind of zombie terror, rained upon them by their archenemy, the undead priest who originates from the time of Netherese Empire. The guy came back from the dead once again and parched all the water, and of course, I got in the middle of all that mess. Playing a hero again. Hooray.

Deekin says I should just get used to all the mishaps that come my way and tough it out. Drogan would really like this kobold. I bet he'd even take him in as an apprentice.

I'm trying to get used to being a hero, really. Being a simple adventurer worked just fine so far. I can't help but be amazed by the versatility of ill fortune I stumble upon... Here we have this ultra-powerful undead priest, the rod that held him imprisoned, and I have to go retrieve it... The smothering story of that Bedine leader just made me even more sick. _(note: Deekin wrote down the whole story while Boss talked to the Bedine, it was in side-notes...but then side-notes got lost. Sorry everyones.)_ While talking to him, I thought out loud, 'Why me?' and the dude got offended. Said lots of his men died from the attack of zombies, and then turned into them, so he had to kill his own kin... Harsh, really. But WHY MEEE!?

And did I tell you that this sun is literally frying my skin? Not to mention all the sand stuck in every pore of my being. Do you people know how hard it is to be a strong AND beautiful hero in all this crap?

Deekin says I complain much. Easy for him to say when I'm the one who protects his scaly ass all the time. _(note: Deekin really likes Boss, no matter how whiny or foul-tempered she gets.)_

 

Day 2 (part II):

We're in the tomb of the ultra-undead. Traps are getting on my nerves more than all the zombies popping out of every corner. Boy, do they smell bad. Deekin shoots like a pro and yells 'Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!' as if he grew up in a jungle. I'm collecting a bunch of arrows, rings, armor pieces, spell scrolls and the rest of transacting goodies that I'm able to find around here, all for Dashnaya's store. I like that good-natured halfling fortuneteller. Stingy Katriana can drop dead. _(note: Boss is only kidding, she means no harm to anyone that is not a zombie. Mostly.)_

 

Day 3:

Killed the bloody Kel-Garas. That's the name of that ultra-undead. He tried to bore me to death with his sermonizing about how his doings were actually noble and the awful Bedine tried to bury him for eternity... Death doesn't diminish insanity, I guess. But I'm seriously worried regarding his reaction to the tower crystal. He called it 'the source' and tried to grab it. Source of what? I **sooo** have a bad feeling...

By the way, I'm glad the Bedine didn't get angry when Deekin dove into their oasis. _(note: it was an ACCIDENT!)_

 

Day 7:

So we arrived in the encampment of Ao worshippers. Weird bunch. Why would you worship a god who doesn't give a fung for you? _(note: Boss said a very foul word instead of fung, so Deekin edited it. Maybe kids will read this some day!)_ No divine interventions, no protection whatsoever, and their priests cast no spells. This Ao might as well be just a fantasy.

Anyway, I'm ridden of the gipsy caravan. Sad to leave Dashnaya, but the rest can sod off.

In this encampment I found the fellow I was looking for, Garrick. He was badly wounded so I provided one of my healing kits to aid him. He said he was excavating in this Valley of the Winds which is nearby; he's kinda obsessed with Netheril Empire and all. According to his story, a strange cloaked female came through a portal in underground ruins they were exploring, and her shadowy minions killed everybody. Garrick pretended he was dead and eventually crawled his way back up. Lucky guy. Now he's preparing a spell to summon Drogan.

But that's not all. Garrick said that the crystal I was carrying around all this time is called mythallar and it probably used to be some sort of a power source for the ancient Netherese. That explains why the mummy-lord called it **the source**. The cloaked female... I remember some cloaked arrogant woman speaking through a summoning portal with J'nah, right before I killed the blasted daemonfey. This must be the same person. And she's looking for this mythallar despreately, so it seems.

Oh, and, did I mention how Garrick pointed out that this crystal is very unstable and fragile? As in 'drop it to a solid surface and everything in a several mile radius is obliterated' unstable and fragile. Holy shit. And I still have to hold on to it. Deekin puked and almost fainted when he heard this, because he played catch with the crystal after the tower statue was broken. I must admit even I felt a little sick.

So, off to the Valey of the Winds...with a potential bomb in my pocket. This couldn't get any better. I hope Drogan arrives soon, I'll need all the help I can get.

 

 

Day 8:

The underground ruins are a friggin' maze, which is bound to fall apart any minute now. I never felt claustrophobic, but this is as close as it gets. Also, slaads are everywhere; that explains the 'shadowy minions' Garrick spoke of. They're gross to look at, and even grosser to fight off, not to mention that some of them have the ability to wield magic.

In one of these rooms, we stumbled upon a male Sphinx. He was petrified to stone by a bunch of bazilisks, which Deekin and I managed to kill. When I un-petrified him, he said his name is... Ugh, too difficult to pronounce, but the short version is Myr. Nice chap, highly intelligent and all. He showed me how to create some defensive-offensive magical stone, which should help me in the future. Deekin tried to draw a picture of him, and I'm glad that Myr didn't see it. _(note: how would **yous** draw a humanoid lion with wings?? At least Deekin tried!)_

 

Day 8 (part II):

Finally, we've found the portal chamber. That damn cloaked woman escaped through the portal before I could do anything to stop her - again. But then Drogan teleported here; Garrick did his part well. He explained that the woman's name is Heurodis, and that she was an apprentice to the infamous necromancer Belpheron. I carried the guy's mummified hand around in Hilltop, it was one of the stolen artifacts... And I wondered why the hand had the ability to 'point' in the tower statue’s direction. Anyway, this Heurodis wants the mythallar for the sake of ultimate power. And we should go through this dubious portal to stop her, while carrying mythallar with us, of course. Damn. I guess there is no safe place to leave it behind, so I still have it with me.

Right now, I'm trying to crack the mystery of activating this portal. There are rooms here with a bunch of pillars and every pillar has a pressing pad on it. Of course, I'm doing this puzzle thing alone, while Deekin is chatting merrily with Drogan. I never doubted that old Master would take a shine to the little fellow. At least he's boosting Deekin's spirit. I was afraid that he'd chicken out on me. _(note: Deekin is no chicken. Deekin is a faithful kobold companion! On to the adventure!)_

 

 

Day 8 (part III):

Shit! SHIT!!! The portal was transfixed with a trap, and when I activated the portal, the trap took hold of Drogan's power... He had to stay behind and give his life in order for me and Deekin to pass through. As the portal's pull engulfed me, I could see the blazing bolts consuming his body.

Deekin and I passed through. We're in some kind of a creepy, dark part of the desert. My eyesight is blurred with tears. Deekin is sniveling and writing, smearing ink all over the parchment. But this is no time to mourn the loss of an old friend. I'll pay my respect to him when all this is over. And it WILL be over, by my hand. _(note: and with Deekin's help as well! Deekin will never forget good old dwarf! ...Boss is looking into the distance with a scary look on her face...)_

I'll see to Heurodis's death and I'll destroy this blasted mythallar, I swear on my swords. Drogan's sacrifice shall not be in vain. I realize I have truly been complaining too much during my adventures... Drogan believed in me, he believed I was destined to be a hero. And so it shall be. _(note: Deekin dares to say he's been destined to be the Bosses faithful companion. Deekin never lets Boss down! Deekin swears on his...his...crossbow?)_

 

 

 

Day... _(note: we doesn't know which day it is, so let's just call it PART II, Day 1.)_

 

P-II, Day 1:

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I met Heurodis. Yeah, back in that dark desert. She's a MEDUSA! So naturally, she petrified me to stone. What a hideous feeling, lemme tell ya. _(note: Deekin was petrified as well, and it wasn't pretty. Old Master said that Deekin is hyperactive. Boss says that Deekin is just energetic. Anyways, Deekin doesn't likes when he can't move!)_ After she petrified us, Heurodis said that mythallar is the source of power of flying cities of Netheril Empire. Her goal is to make them fly again and bend all of Faerun to her will. Of course, she took the mythallar away from me. It ain't a nice sensation when you're an enraged stone. I felt kinda pathetic.

So... Deekin and I, statues for who knows how long, in the middle of nowhere, birds shitting all over us. Until some funny creatures found us. They looked and sounded like oversized kobolds. _(note: Deekin is not sure if this was an insult, but Boss said that Deekin should write down everything she says if he wants his epic tale, so Deekin complies. Boss is smarter, after all.)_ These lizard folk took us to some ruins that resemble that underground maze we threaded previously, but much more organized. And much more shaky; it feels like casual earthquakes are normal 'round here.

While I was still petrified, the chieftain of these lizards - Ashtara is his name, placed a collar on my neck and within an hour, I was back to life. Boy, did that feel good. I didn't even mind this guy calling me his slave all the time. I know I'll get rid of him sooner or later. But first I have to do some quest by his order: to eradicate ten golems who prevent him from collecting ancient goods around here. Yeah, Ashtara is a merchant and a slaver. Asabi tribe are his folk and they are natives of the desert more than anyone around here, I guess. I'll do his stupid little quest. It gives me the opportunity to look around more closely, AND he provided me with good equipment.

My guess is that we're in lower floors of an ascending flying city of Undrentide - or so I understood from the babbling of the friggin' medusa earlier. That would explain 'earthquakes'. If so, I have to hurry and stop her before she makes matters worse.

I'm glad that Asabi also brought petrified Deekin with them. I turned him back to flesh, and his joyful reaction was very pleasant. It's good to know I'm not alone in all this. Besides, some of his remarks regarding our journey were pretty useful so far. I'm mostly busy with fighting, so he is able to concentrate on details and point in the right direction. We're an example of team work, what can I say? _(note: Deekin is all choked up right now... Deekin likes Boss sooooo much!)_

 

P-II, Day 2:

Okay, we've found a slow-talking stone golem, who said he was a butler for his deceased master. And that's only a part of what this ancient civilization was capable of. He said that mythallar is a part of divine crystal called Mythal, and that she even had a will of her own. He said 'she' several times, so I got the impression that Mythal is a female crystal…no matter how weird that sounds. Anyway, **her** power suddenly faded away, back then; actually, she had abandoned the Netherese, and thus their cities collapsed. I wonder what made Mythal do this. Some higher force was at work, maybe? Heurodis has her hands full, as far as I can see, and I'm pretty sure she's not capable of controlling such power.

I've also discovered that we indeed are in the lowest level of Undrentide, which is slowly ascending. Here are the Library, the Crypt and the Arcane tower, where some three 'Winds' are kept. The Winds are the key for opening the central sanctum, which leads upwards - toward Heurodis and Mythal. But the pull of Ashtara's collar doesn't allow me to access the Library, the Crypt and the Arcane tower, and I can't seem to take it off, so I have to finish my task for him first.

Deekin is excited beyond belief. I must admit I am as well... I could only imagine the view from the top of a flying city. If we make it up there.

* Oh and... Did I ever mention how much I **hate** gigantic spiders? _(note: Deekin thinks Boss has archahonophobia. Or somethin’.)_

* Yay! Found Boots of Speed! My favorite. Ashtara is **so** not having them.

* We've stumbled upon the central sanctum, called the Temple of the Winds. Fantastic thing, all shiny and enormous, going straight up through the tall ceiling. The names of the Winds we should find are Wise Wind, Dark Wind and Dead Wind. Go figure in which tower is which hidden.

 

P-II, Day 3:

We finally found and killed off all the golems. Hmm, killed? More like dismantled, in a very rushed way, khm.

Ashtara still didn't remove my collar, but I'm free to roam wherever I want. And thus we went to the great Library, cuz it was the nearest.

I'm amazed to notice there is actually a huge thing called 'dust elemental'. Dust isn't an element! ...Right? _(note: Deekin also puzzled.)_ But then, this is an ancient Netherese Library. Anything is possible.

* What a library! I found a room with two books, and when you start reading, the book sucks you into the story - literally!

* Sucked inside the first story, we emerged in Hell. Here we found Karsus, an ancient Netherese archmage, who is bound to suffer an eternity for his crime - the downfall of Netheril Empire. He tampered with the power of Mythal, seeking to unite himself with her, and he claims he saw the very magical heart of the world. For a moment, at least. And then Mythal turned against everybody, enraged by the mage's disrespect for divine power. Figures. Heurodis is bound to screw up, but before she does some serious damage to the entire Faerun, I must stop her. As for the Wise Wind, this mage said it's 'within' me. I found a feather-pen in the unholy sanctum that led me here, and now the mage gave me his ink, mixed with his blood. Let's find out what all this stands for...

* Oh, wow, I got to **write** how to get to the Wise Wind, in a blank tome back in the Library. Deekin helped with putting the story together. When we finished, we read the story and got sucked in. I have the Wise Wind now; it's a glass orb, not much bigger than a grapefruit, with something alive and glistening inside. Freaky. But it exudes power nevertheless.

 

P-II, Day 4:

The Crypt tower. Beyond eerie. It even has the level where doomed people eternally burn. Not to mention the maze with walls appearing and disappearing, while skeleton archers mercilessly fire at ya.

And the top floor? Zombie infestation. _(note: smells awful!)_ It was fairly tricky to beat the zombies and collect the Dead Wind. Spent 5 healing kits and 2 full-health potions, but we eventually prevailed. It was a close thing.

This orb looks the same as the other, but the thingie inside is tinted grayish, while Wise Wind’s is greenish.

 

P-II, Day 5:

The Arcanists tower. First level, we stumbled upon a sleeping dire rat, whose name is Dagget Filth. He talks. Ridiculously high IQ. He has his own fire elemental caged right next to him and calls him Fireshorts. Deekin managed to draw Fireshorts while I bantered with the rat. He said something about a Shadow Plane, where some apprentice of his former master, the head Arcane mage (could it be Karsus? I never got to ask), teleported his flying city. Arcanists had **their own** cities? Well, figures, since this whole place was based on huge amounts of magic.

I have a feeling I'm about to find out what a Shadow Plane is.  _(note: Deekin is so excited! ...Even though Deekin doesn't likes teleporting much.)_

* Holy crap, this Shadow Plane is more difficult than I thought. In there it all looks like an interior of a dark dire fortress, with shady objects resembling furniture, and even plants. Teleportation circles are tossing us around without any order, from the Shadow Plane to the tower, while we're trying to find a way to get off this level. Not to mention Shadovars. Those are kind of rogues who claim they own the Shadow Plane. So own it! I just wanna get out! But no, they just blindly attack. And of course, die in the process. _(note: good thing Boss is strong. And focused. Deekin feels dizzy from all the teleporting...)_

* The Archmage's apprentice was nothing but a specter, though he managed to claim the Dark Wind. He escaped to that Shadow Plane, though... But previously, somewhere in that Plane, I found a cute little portal that can turn into a door to Shadow Plane whenever I want. So I went after the specter immediately, killed the bastard, claimed the Wind and killed off the rest of Shadovars. It wasn't easy and we had to heal a lot, but we were successful.

And now... Off to the inner sanctum, the Temple of Winds. _(note: with the intrepid kobold companion by Bosses side!)_

 

 

Day 6:

Boss is too cranky to dictate so Deekin addresses in first person.

Boss and Deekin went into the Temple of the Winds and on the first level killed a bunch of medusae. Not the one we sought, though, but Deekin gets the feeling she will be much more difficult than those.

On second floor, Boss remembers she should have gone to Ashtara to buy bolts for Deekin...becuz Deekin is out of ammo. Boss curses and swears lots. She gave Deekin a rapier, even though Deekin is very clumsy with blades. Deekin will try to stay alive. Deekin is sorry for using half of healing kits already. But boss just pats Deekin's head and says 'It's alright, it's not your fault, I'm a bloody...' and then Boss says stuff Deekin shouldn't writes in epic tale, hethinks.

Here on second level are a lot of skeletal devourers. Hard to kill, even for Boss. Deekin tries to cast lots of spells and swings rapier only if the creature gets too close. Deekin hopes we stumbles upon a pack of bolts soon.

 

* Boss didn't find any bolts, but we managed to get to the third level. Here be Mythal, Deekin thinking. The great adventure of Boss and faithful kobold companion approaches its climax!

Boss says Deekin should stays behind her while she deals with medusa Heurodis. Deekin is happy to obey Boss. Rapier keeps falling out of Deekin's hand when he fights.

 

* Medusa lost her petrifying gaze! Now Boss can kill her! ...But not directly, the mythallar crystals are making her immune... Boss was smart to figure it out at once. Deekin runs behind a pile of rocks and hides, while the havoc reigns. Boss very brave and mighty! Boss destroys mythallars one by one, and the power of Heurodis weakens with every blow! The end is at hand...

 

* Boss destroyed the Mythal! The city is COLLAPSING! We is doomed! Rocks are flying everywhere and we is ----

 

 

 

Day... _(note: again, we doesn't know how much time passed since Boss and Deekin were dead, so we calls it PART III.)_

 

P-III, Day 1:

My guess is that Undrentide had fallen again, back to the sands where it belongs. It's all good, as long as that damn Mythal is destroyed, along with the wretched medusa Heurodis. I swore to destroy them and it was done. Drogan is avenged, and I hope he would be proud.

Oh and, by the way, Deekin and I got killed during the collapse. But not **entirely** killed, obviously. We have found ourselves revived in a strange chamber, in the middle of the room on a pentagram-drawn platform, right in front of a strange creature, hooded, with a draconic tail and red draconic wings. He said, in a deep, resonating voice: 'Welcome, sojourner. You are resurrected and you have entered a nexus realm, where my service is bound to you.' This service, as he explained, is that he can teleport me here whenever I get killed, and anyone who previously enters here with me. This time he saved Deekin just because he held onto me in the moment of death. Ain’t all that convenient? …Too convenient, if you ask me. I have a funny feeling about this resurrection, but nevertheless, I’m glad we’re alive.

I noticed five doors in the room, which he said can be 'anchored' in this realm to whichever place I want, using Rogue Stones. He gave me one stone - little, red, round, like a marble. He said mages make them as magical boosters for creating portals.

The creature has no name, so I called him 'Reaper', because he reminds me of a childhood tale of Grim Reaper, or Death. Further on, he said that this nexus realm is a part of him, and that he’s also bound to the portal I hold. The portal had transformed into a Relic, a bracelet-pendant which I can attach to my wrist. Nice. Since this was the first resurrection, it was free, but in future he said I must have Rogue Stones at all times, in order for the Relic to operate.

Behind Reaper, there is a far door, covered in mist. He said it's a portal to the land of the dead. Hmm, no thanks. _(note: Deekin agrees!)_

And so, Reaper created an improvised passage to my previous abode - Hilltop. He said it should take me there, since it represents my former residence.

So we are on our way... Our adventure had ended, Faerun is saved, and I think I deserve a vacation.

 

 

 

 

P-III, Day 7:

Reaper's passage took Boss and Deekin to the outskirts of Hilltop, as it meant to. Boss said that Deekin is free to leave wherever he wants. Deekin promised Boss to finish the epic tale, so he does... Deekin came to Waterdeep to finish and publish the story.

Last thing Deekin hears about Boss is that she's nowhere to be found. Deekin guesses Boss wouldn't tells anybody where she went on vacation. Deekin just hopes he'll see Boss again, and adventure with her once more. Deekin likes Boss very much.

Deekin wanted to go visit Old Master, and Deekin’s girlfriend Yazka, but Deekin realizes it might not be such a good idea. Maybe Old Master imprisons Deekin again. So Deekin concentrates to live freely, as a kobold bard. It be hard thing to do, since no ones is fond of kobolds. But Deekin tries. Deekin gots to try.

 

Deekin heard from some traveling desert peoples that Undrentide crashed in the Anauroch desert and created big chaos. Dozens of caravans disappeared beneath the sand. Deekin hopes none of them was Dashnaya's caravan. She was a nice halfling lady. But the story about Boss isn't known yet, so Deekin will make it known.

There is a hero called Boss... Um, called Katarsi Ven’danel, and she saved Faerun! The friend of a brave dwarven wizard, Drogan Droganson! May their names shine in eternal glory!

 

 

**\- End.**

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is something like a prequel to the huge story I wrote about this particular lead character (Katarsi Ven'danel), and that story takes part in the 'Hordes of the Underdark'. I'm not sure if I'll ever publish it because of several things: its size, the fact that it still isn't finished, and the insane complexity. Deekin is far more eloquent in that story, however, thanks to his built up experience and some, ah, magical help.


End file.
